


The child-bride

by AllyriaDondarrion



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Allyria is only mentioned, Beric-centric, Canon-typical male supremacy, Explicit Language, F/M, Gen, Mentions of Sex, Pre-A Game of Thrones, implied/Referenced Underage Betrothal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:40:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27050605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllyriaDondarrion/pseuds/AllyriaDondarrion
Summary: The Lord of Blackhaven gives a choice to his eldest son and heir: he has to either marry or take the black. Beric enjoys his life as a knight and womanizer so he definitely doesn't want to join the Night's Watch. He also doesn't want to marry yet so his only chance to continue his life is finding a bride who's too young for marriage. With the help of a friend he chooses the 'daughter' of Lord Dayne of Starfall...
Relationships: Beric Dondarrion/Allyria Dayne (mentioned), Beric Dondarrion/Original Female Character(s) (past)





	The child-bride

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The early life of Allyria Dayne](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25228669) by [AllyriaDondarrion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllyriaDondarrion/pseuds/AllyriaDondarrion). 



> A one-shot spin-off of my other work 'The early life of Allyria Dayne'. I've wanted to write something about Beric why he's chosen Allyria. I hope you like it :)

AC 294, Blackhaven

Lord Monford Dondarrion drank the last gulp of wine, took his cup down to the table and wiped his big reddish beard with the sleeve of his shirt. “While your mother was dying, you promised her you would get marry.” he said. “Almost two years have passed since her death and I have not seen a wife with you.”

“I know, father,” said his son and heir leaning against the wall next to the window “I have promised it and I will get marry one day but not until I make the eight.”

“Making the eight… what a bullshit, my son!” the lord said. “I was already married in your age!”

“And you were the father of my elder sister who died as a baby, a year before I was born” the young man added.

“My poor daughter…” his father moaned. “I often think about her… if she was alive, she would be married with some children.”

“Please stop telling this, father!” the young man said as he stepped away from the wall. “Being married with children in a young age would be her life, not mine.”

“Beric, please, leastwise betroth a young lady!” Lord Monford asked him.

“Why is it so urgent?” Beric asked and ran a hand through his strawberry blond hair.

“If you don’t get betrothed until your nameday, I will disinherit you and your brother Harry will inherit the estate and all of my titles.” his father said while he was leaning against the table.

“Harry is only eleven” Beric said. “You cannot hand down the estate and all of the titles to a child!”

“Yes, he’s a child,” the lord replied “but this child is dutiful and I can rely on him.”

“Aye, the little Harry does anything that you command him.” the young man said and started to walk around in the room. “I’m your bad son because I’m not like a sheep.”

“I hate it when you are so cheeky.” his father said and hit the table with a fist. “I mean he will be my heir and you will go to the Wall if you are not betrothed until your next nameday.”

“To the Wall?” his son asked as stopped walking. “I don’t want to take the black and live among thieves and rapers until I die!”

“I know.” Lord Monford said. “You have the choice, a betrothal or the Wall.”

“Alright.” Beric moaned. “I will find a bride but do you have any idea who I should betroth?”

“I have some.” the father said and filled his cup with wine again. “What about Lady Rowena Swann? She’s so pretty and the same age as you.”

“She’s a widow and I don’t want to die young.” Beric said.

“Her late husband was old, over sixty.” his father said. “Old men die easily.”

“It’s true but this fact does not change the other, I will not marry a woman who had a husband afore.” the young man stated and continued walking.

“Lady Palla Lonmouth is a maid, has not been married yet.” Lord Monford said.

“She’s too old with her twenty and seven years.” his son refused her. “If I get marry, my wife must be younger than me.”

“Lord Fowler of Skyreach has twin daughters. They are just twenty years old and none of them are betrothed.”

“I’m not surprised, both of them are ugly. Their hair is like piss, their face looks like a donkey’s face, there are not enough alcoholic drinks in the world to touch them.”

“What about Lady Claryssa Appleton?” Lord Monford asked. “She’s also twenty and has not been betrothed yet. She has a pretty face and thick dark hair.”

“I have known her for a year.” Beric said. “She’s one of my eight, the woman from the Reach.”

“Excellent!” his father smiled and drank the wine. “If you know her so much, there is no problem to betroth her.”

“She was not a virgin.” the young man objected. “I refuse to marry a woman who lost her virginity with someone else.”

“I know another girl.” the lord of Blackhaven said and put down the empty cup. “Lady Arina Dayne, second daughter of Ser Edric Dayne castellan of Sunflower Hall and his wife Lady Martha. She’s sixteen and described beautiful with long brown hair and big blue eyes. Young enough for being a virgin.”

Beric stopped. “Sounds seductive but I must think it over.”

“I will give you a day but not more.” Lord Monford said then he left.

***

Beric stood in the belvedere of the watchtower leaning up a table with some old thick books. He didn’t say a word and it was very strange for Rolf the ratter, a strange bald man in the service of Lord Monford.

“You’re so quiet today, young lord.” he said. “What’s the problem?”

“No one can help me.” Beric moaned.

“Come on!” the bald man said. “There is no problem in the world that has no solution. You should just tell me what the issue is and I will tell you what to do.”

“It complicated.” the strawberry blond said and opened one of the thick books named ‘The Lineage of All Houses from the Red Mountains’. “My father will disinherit me and send me to the Wall if I don’t find a bride till my nameday.” he was turning the pages while he was speaking. “He’s very determined and recommended me a girl. I don’t want her but I could not refuse.”

“Why don’t you want her?” the bald asked. “Is she fat? Old? Or Ugly?”

“None of them, she’s pretty, young and slim,” Beric answered “but if I betroth her, my father’s next action would threaten me: marry her or I will be disinherited and sent to the Wall. I don’t want to take the black!” He stopped turning the pages as he found in the book the House he had searched for.

Rolf looked at the large ornamented letters ‘House Dayne’ then the name which Beric pointed at. “Lady Arina Dayne, daughter of Ser Edric Dayne and his wife Lady Martha of House Cuy. Born AC 278 at Sunflower Hall, brown hair, blue eyes” he read it then he looked at his young lord. “Sounds a perfect choice. What is the problem with her?”

“There is no problem with her, I just don’t want to marry before I make the eight.” the young lord said.

“How many were from the eight?” his companion asked with a smile.

“There were some whores from the town and Kristen Cole daughter of the steward from the Stormlands. Morna Manwoody my first bride who I broke up with because she was not a virgin from Dorne, Claryssa Appleton from the Reach, Gwenna Bracken from the Riverlands and some King’s Landing whore from the Crownlands.” Beric listed his previous affairs. “I need a woman from the Vale, a woman from the Westernlands and a Woman from the North.”

“You are young and handsome and you attend a lot of tournaments.” Rolf said. “You can get those three women in half a year.”

“Maybe.” The strawberry blond man said. “Maybe not. I don’t want to marry yet but my father is so… the only thing he wants is my wedding and he is very determined.”

“Now I clearly see your problem.” said the ratter. “You will lose everything you have if you do not betroth this girl… or another.”

“Yes.”

“This Arina Dayne is sixteen, old enough to marry someone but what about…” Rolf stopped for a moment then yelled gladly. “I have found the perfect match for you!”

“What?” Beric asked and looked at the book with wide eyes. He read the name by his friend’s finger. “You are kidding. Ashara Dayne is dead for long years.”

“I haven’t thought of Ashara Dayne. Look a row below…” the bald man grinned and moved away his hand.

“Lady Allyria Dayne, daughter of Lord Beric Dayne and his wife Lady Lyra of House Blackmont. Born AC 284 at Starfall, black hair, pale skin.” Beric read then he looked at Rolf. He also grinned. “Man, you are a wizard.” he said and hugged the shady person.

“No, I’m not a wizard.” Rolf replied as they stopped hugging. “I’m just here to help.”

***

“How have you decided?” Lord Monford asked and took a quill.

“I’m going to marry.” Beric replied.

Lord Monford’s face lit up. “It’s great, my son! I’m writing the letter to Ser Edric immediately.”

“Please don’t do it, father, I will not marry Lady Arina.” his son said.

The quill in the lord’s hand stopped in the air. “You have just said you are going to marry!”

“Yes, but not Lady Arina.” Beric told him. “I have found another young lady of House Dayne who is a much better choice.”

“Lady Arina is the only young maid of House Dayne.” Lord Monford was a bit confused.

“There is another girl who has not been betrothed yet.” the young man explained. “Allyria Dayne, daughter of Lord Beric Dayne, Lord of Starfall and his wife Lady Lyra of House Blackmont.”

“I have never heard about her.” his father said. “How did you find her?”

“In the book named ‘The Lineage of All Houses from the Red Mountains’” Beric said. “She’s some years younger than Lady Arina so I will have enough time making the eight before I wed her.”

“Aye, it’s the reason why you have chosen a girl at least ten years younger than you.” Lord Monford said mockingly. “I allow you to betroth this girl if you promise you will marry her the day after her sixteenth nameday.”

“I promise.” said his son but his voice was uncertain. “I promise you I will marry Allyria Dayne when she comes of age as I promised my mother.”

“It’s great!” the lord said smiling. “Go now, my son, it’s time to write a letter to Lord Beric Dayne of Starfall.”

Beric left his father’s room and ran down to the stables. He found there only three stable-boys taking care of the horses. They were talking and laughing while they were working. When Beric entered the stable, they stopped talking and bowed to him.

“My lord” they said at the same time.

“I want one of you to find Ser Trisfer Cole and tell him that I want to speak with him.” the young lord commanded. “Who will be this one?”

“I’m going immediately, my lord.” said a thin boy with freckles on his face.

“Alright, Jon.” Beric said. “Hurry up!”

Jon ran to his job then Beric looked at the other two. “You can continue what you have been doing.” he said. The boys went back to the horses and continued their job but now without speaking and laughing.

Ten minutes later Jon got back. He was followed by a tall man with salt-and-pepper hair wearing a reddish doublet. The boy went back to the stable and the older man bowed to Beric.

“You have sent someone for me, my lord.” he said.

“Ser Trisfer, I will give you a very important duty.” the young lord said.

“As you want, my lord.” Ser Trisfer said. “What would you like me to do?”

“You must travel to Starfall and see my future wife.” Beric commanded. “I want to know everything about her. What she looks like, what she likes doing, which things are her likes and dislikes. You should depart as soon as you can. Do not go home before you learn these facts.”

“As you want, my lord.” the steward of Blackhaven said and bowed to him, before he left.

***

Ser Trisfer returned a day before Ser Beric’s nameday. He found the young lord in the castle’s Great Hall where he was having lunch with his whole family. He bowed and greeted them “my lords, my ladies.”

“Ser Trisfer, come and sit down!” Lord Monford said with a smile. “Tell us everything, what is my future daughter-in-law like?”

“She is young.” Ser Trisfer replied. “She is very young.”

“Tell me, she is not a newborn baby!” the lord yelled.

“No, she is not, my lord. She is just some years younger than Lady Bethany.” the steward said. Lady Bethany was the youngest sister of Beric, a pretty maid of sixteen with long strawberry blond hair and a nice smile.

“What does she look like?” Beric asked.

“She is a bit small and thin for her age… she has black hair and fair skin.” the steward answered. “She reminds me a bit of Lyanna Stark.”

“Great!” Beric said. “Lyanna Stark was described pretty, she was actually prettier than Rhaegar Targaryen’s wife.”

“Beric!” his uncle Ser Rodrik castellan of Blackhaven put him in his place. “It is so improper to talk about things like this in the presence of ladies!”

“What was her dress like?” Bethany asked the next question.

Ser Trisfer hesitated. The truth would have shocked everyone but he didn’t want to shock the ladies of House Dondarrion so he told the first thing what came to mind. “It was clean… and light colored.” He hoped it would be enough for her.

“What was her jewelry like?” asked Ser Rodrik’s daughter Elisa, a flame-red haired lady of twenty.

“She did not have any jewelry.” Ser Trisfer told the truth. “She is so young and girls of her age barely ever wear jewelry.”

Elisa was disappointed and upset. Jewelry was very important for her. Bethany was more understanding because she knew the most highborn girls wore jewelry only after their first flowering. _Allyria has certainly not flowered yet, she must be about twelve_ she thought.

“Speak about her interests!” Beric told him. “What does she like doing and which topics she likes to talk about?”

“She likes singing and riding a horse.” the steward told the things that weren’t shocking. “She has an interest in the history before Aegon’s Conquest and in a very early age she cares for the smallfolk.”

“It sounds she will become a perfect lady of Blackhaven one day.” Lord Monford moaned. His steward didn’t agree, but he didn’t speak about his doubts.

“You said she liked singing.” said Meredith, the other sister of Ser Beric. She was twenty and has already been married. “Which songs does she like?”

Ser Trisfer was confused. He couldn’t tell that she likes ‘The Bear and the Maiden Fair’, because it’s a quite improper song. “She likes cheerful songs.” he said finally.

“It is normal for a girl who has not flowered yet.” Ser Rodrik said. “Which books does she like to read?”

Another awkward question, poor steward couldn’t tell them that Allyria was illiterate. “She likes historical books. I think she is interested in wars.”

“It is so sick that a girl is interested in wars.” Elisa said with despise. “Please, tell me she prefers arts to war.”

“She is not impressed by the dornish arts.” Ser Trisfer said.

“It’s not surprising.” Beric commented. “It means she is more intelligent than other girls from Dorne.”

“What about the artists outside Dorne?” Meredith asked.

“She rather likes the arts of the territories North from the Neck.” the steward tried to tell something acceptable.

“And who is her hero?” Bethany asked. “Which knight’s story is her favorite?”

“Her hero is…” Ser Trisfer had to think. “She likes the stories about the Age of Heroes.”

“But there were no knights so early!” Elisa said with disdain.

“Alright… I must tell the truth…” the steward stuttered. “Her favorite story is about an ancient war and her hero who she admires more than any knight is someone who probably never lived. He had a flaming sword and fought against the White Walkers. She believes in them.”

The awkward and shocking silence was broken by Beric’s laughter.

“Why are you laughing, my son?” Lord Monford asked. “It’s not funny!”

“She would like my new friend from King’s Landing.” the young man said. “He is the priest of the Red God and he can set a sword on fire.”

“She is not an average highborn girl, I suppose.” said Lady Delena, the widow of the lord’s youngest brother who had kept quiet before. “Maybe she is not so helpless. Can we see a needlework she has done?”

“My lady, I’m afraid she does not have a great talent in needlework.” Ser Trisfer said. “I have brought nothing that she has done.”

“She has no talent in the needlework, what about playing the harp?” Elisa asked.

“She just sings, she does not play any instrument at all.” the steward answered.

“She cannot do the needlework nor play the harp, egregious!” the flame-haired woman said.

“How old is she actually?” Lord Monford asked frowning.

“She just a short time ago had her tenth nameday.” Ser Trisfer said uncertainly.

Everyone was shocked. A child of ten is too young for being betrothed!

“She is just a baby, younger than me!” said the eleven-year-old Harry, the youngest member of the House Dondarrion.

“Beric, you are sick.” Lord Monford buried his face into his hands. “Haven’t you thought about what people will think?”

“I don’t care about them.” Beric answered. “You have wanted me so much to betroth a girl. I have done it.”

“But I have meant a maid old enough for marriage, not a little child!” his father moaned.

“But I need time…” Beric tried to explain.

“I agree with father.” Meredith interrupted him. “I have been married for a year and I’m younger than you. When do you want to marry? When you get old?”

The young man stood up. “I promised my mother before she died that I will marry one day. I also promised my father two months ago. Now I promise all of you that I will marry Allyria Dayne when she comes of age.” he said.

Everyone stared at him. Ser Trisfer broke the silence. “Excuse me, my lord, but I think there is something that we should speak about in private.” he told Lord Monford. “You should join us, ser.” he added as he looked at Beric.

***

After lunch the three men entered Lord Monford’s room. The lord sat down on his chair and gestured to the others. Ser Trisfer brought a chair but didn’t sit down. Beric also remained standing. The steward opened his mouth but the lord was faster.

“My son, I could say I accept your choice but remember what people said when Ser Meryn Trant of Gallowsgrey was found in a brothel with a whore’s twelve-year-old bastard daughter.” he said.

“Meryn Trant is a sick fucker.” Beric said. “I will not bed my bride before her first blood.”

“You will not bed her before you wed her.” his father corrected. “I don’t want more bastards in our House. My late brother’s bastard by the steward’s daughter is enough.”

“I know how to fuck a woman without conceiving her.” the young man said.

“I believe it but your future wife is not a woman yet.” Lord Monford said. “She’s just a little girl, and she will not be a woman until she becomes sixteen.”

“I have six years for living before I marry.” Beric said.

“Excuse me, my lord.” Ser Trisfer said. “I really don’t want to interrupt you, but I have horrible news.”

“What horrible news, Ser Trisfer?” asked the lord. “Speak!”

“My lord, I’m afraid, this young girl, Allyria Dayne is not a good choice for Ser Beric.” the steward said.

“Why not?” Beric asked. “Don’t tell me she’s too young, please!”

“I have not told everything, my lord, I did not want to shock the ladies.” the steward said.

“What is so shocking, Ser Trisfer?” asked Lord Monford.

Ser Trisfer began the story. “First, when I saw that girl, she was dressed like a boy. Yes, her shirt was clean and light colored but it was a shirt which she was wearing with trousers, not a dress. It was not the worst about her but there was a disgusting dark rag tied around her left arm.”

“Poor child!” the lord moaned. “What a mean man her father is! If she lived here, I would command the tailors to sew her pretty dresses.”

“I think it is not the truth, my lord.” the steward said. “The lord has learnt to not care about what her daughter wears. This child is so cheeky and she said that she had not worn any dresses in her young life, only rags and boy clothes because she hates dresses.”

“She is just ten scarcely more than a baby, she will grow out of this…” said the Lord of Blackhaven. “Is there anything else?”

“Yes, my lord.” Ser Trisfer said. “She is illiterate at age ten. She told me reading is for only maesters and septas.”

“No problem!” Lord Monford laughed. “A woman’s duty is not to read but to give birth to heirs.”

“She knows nothing about what a lady should do.” Ser Trisfer said. “She is not just talentless in needlework but she has never done it and does not show any interest in doing it. She not only sings and rides a horse but also learns to fight like boys do.”

“Sounds interesting.” Beric said. “Good to hear that I will have a unique wife who looks like Lyanna Stark who was pretty.”

“I have heard about Lord Selwyn Tarth’s daughter, Lady Brienne.” his father said. “She also learns to fight but she does not have any brother so she’s the heir of her father and she is described taller than the most men and ugly.”

“I have also heard that but I don’t care. I don’t care about ugly women and what they do. But a girl who looks like Lyanna Stark must be pretty.” the young lord said.

The steward was confused as he heard them and told another fact about the child-bride. “I did not dare to tell in the presence of the ladies but her favorite song is ‘The Bear and the Maiden Fair’. She learnt it from a sellsword who is her best friend.”

“A sellsword?” asked the lord with wide eyes open.

“Yes, my lord, a sellsword.” Ser Trisfer said. “And the girl said that she wanted to be a sellsword when she grew up.”

“What?” Lord Monford asked. “A girl will never be a sellsword!”

“I know it, my lord,” said the steward “but she does not. Maybe she is a bit… a bit brainless.”

“I see…” the lord said. “Our only mission to give her someone else who she can admire and this person must be a woman.”

“Why do you want to change her?” Beric asked. “When I heard that she’s completely different from Elisa, I was happy.”

“Do you want to wed a girl who behave like a man?” his father asked.

“I don’t want to wed a boring girl who cares about only needlework and arts.” the young man said.

“Excuse me, my lord, I have not told the worst about her yet.” Ser Trisfer interrupted them. “She does not just believe in the White Walkers but she is interested in their arts, whilst she finds the human arts boring. She hates poetry the most…”

“If she hates poetry, she’s the perfect match.” Beric said.

“It is alright if she hates poetry and is illiterate. Do you think this girl will grow to be a good wife?” Lord Monford asked.

“I have already betrothed her,” the heir of Blackhaven said “and I’m going to keep her. I have no problem with her sellsword friends, they can help us to defend the estate if the fuckers of Wyl come here again to disturb us…”

“I see your point, my son.” the lord said. “I allow you to betroth that girl and wed her if she comes of age. But I have one condition.”

“What is that?” his son asked.

“Send someone for her after her first blood but don’t bed her before the wedding.” the lord told him. “Can you do this?”

“I will send someone to get her, I promise you.” Beric said and went to the door. “Now I’m leaving.”

“Beric! You have not promised what I asked for you!” Lord Monford told him.

“I have done it.” the young man said and left the room.

As he left, his father filled a cup with wine then another and provided it for the steward. “Drink, Ser Trisfer. It’s my command!”

Ser Trisfer took the cup and drank a small gulp. The lord drank all of his wine with a gulp, and filled his cup again.

“My friend, it’s so fantastic, that my son is truly in love at first time in his life and he has betrothed the girl who has stolen his heart…” he said sarcastically. “the only problem is she’s a child…”


End file.
